Respond to “God Nudged” – 4Steps
As we consider the word PROSPER in this new year, the second key is:
R.-Respond to God’s promptings or “nudges.” While this may seem simple, it’s profound. Since our all-knowing God knows all that will happen, if He prompts you to do something it is for a reason. It does not have to make sense to you. As the iconic Nike ads say, “Just Do It!”
Recently, I experienced something that is becoming more common in my life. I call them “God nudges.” I was reading my Bible in the morning and suddenly began thinking of someone I felt prompted to call. Later in the day, I gave Nick a call. It turns out his mother recently died, and he was asked to do the eulogy at the funeral. He wasn’t sure where to begin. I empathized with his loss, remembering my sister’s recent death and my responsibility to hold a graveside service.
When I hung up, I felt prompted again to google “eulogy,” print out examples and mail them to him with a note of sympathy. Linda reminded me, all this seemed very consistent with God’s directions according to Paul, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (II Corinthians 1:3-4)
The Bible tells the story of a young boy, Samuel, who experienced a unique encounter with God that impacted his whole life. He heard God’s literal voice calling Him three times, but he didn’t know who it was, so asked the man of God, Eli.
So, Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So, Samuel went and lay down in his place.
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (I Samuel 3:9-10)
God’s promptings often make no earthly sense but they make perfect heavenly sense. What might have happened to Samuel if he ignored God’s call and gone back to sleep? What might have happened to David and Israel if instead of challenging Goliath he went back to watch his sheep? What might Moses’s life look like if he had ignored the call of a burning bush?
Whether we understand the “why” behind the call to action or not, obedience is the right response to God’s promptings. You never know what outcome may result from your obedience. Or whose life may be touched. And I’ve since learned the more often we obey, the more clearly we hear His voice.
So, here are four keys to responding to “God nudges”:
- Acknowledge that you hear God.
- Confirm the nudge is consistent with God’s Word.
- Deny the enemy’s lie this wasn’t from God or the temptation not to act.
- Obey….and leave the results to God.
So, the next time you are out to dinner, and you feel prompted to pay for someone else’s dinner…or you feel led to ask if you can pray for the waitperson…or think to compliment the chef…follow the urge, and leave the results to God.
Check out Key # 3 next week—Open Your Eyes to New Opportunities.
